Nonrefillable closure for bottles



Patented May 31, 1938 i UNITED; STA -Es This invention relates toimprovements in non refillable closure for bottles, of which thefollowingis-a specification. I An object of my invention is to provide aclosure which will render the bottle to which it is securednon-refillable, the closure being so constructed as to effectivelythwart attempts to refill the bottle by any method and regardless of theposition in which the bottle is held.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closure which isself-contained and may be conveniently and permanently secured tobottles of any commercial style.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closure which consistsof few and simple parts, can be manufactured at very low cost, isefficient, positive and tamper-proof in operation and permanent inconstruction.

These and other advantageous objects, which will later appear, areaccomplished by the simple and practical construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanyingdrawing, forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of the closure embodying myinvention, shown secured to the top of a bottle, the latter being shownfragmentarily, in an upright position, with the closure valve closed,

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the bottle in a horizontal position,with the closure valve closed,

Fig. 3 is a similar View, showing the bottle in an inverted, pouringposition, with the closure Valve open,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, in the directionindicated by the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified form of counterweightemployed in connection with my invention.

As shown in the drawing, the closure 1 of my invention consistsessentially of the following: a tubular casing 2, a ring 3 positionedWithin the lower portion of the casing, a cup-shaped tubular member 4and valve 5 slidably arranged within the casing and confined therein bysaid ring 3, and a counterweight 6 pivotally connected to the valve 5 bya link 5' or the like, normally firmly seating the valve within thering.

The ring 3 is preferably provided with a tapered opening I therethrough;the valve 5 is preferably correspondingly tapered and is provided with areduced stem 8 normally passing through the opening 1 and receiving thelink 5' of counterweight t.

The cup shaped member 4 is hollow and is provided with suitabletransverse openings Ill. The

upperend'of member 4 is provided with a circumv ferential flange ll ofslightly less diameter than thexvi'nter ior ofthe casing 2 and the lowerend thereof is preferably tapered'as at 12' to correspond with thetapered opening 1 of the ring 3, to guide the -member 4 in its movementwithin the casing.

The closure 5 is sealed to the top l3 of the bottle Bin any desired orconvenient manner, after the latter has been initially filled, thecontents of the bottle being discharged by merely 15 tilting orinverting the bottle. When the bottle is tilted or inverted the tubularmember 4 and valve 5 move away from the ring 3 (see Fig. 3) the contentsof the bottle flow through the opening 1 of the ring, through openingsI0 of the tubular member 4 and out of the discharge opening l4 at thecontracted end l5 of the casing 2.

The lower end 6 of counterweight 6 is preferably weighted so that whenthe bottle is held in a horizontal position the counterweight will dropto a position within the shoulder portion I6 of the bottle, drawing thevalve in a straight line within the ring 3 to close the latter andprevent refilling of the bottle (see Fig. 2), in that position.

If an attempt is made to pump liquid into the bottle while the latter isheld in either a tilted or inverted position, the pressure exerted forthis purpose will fill tubular member 4 and carry the same upwardly withthe valve 5, seating the valve in the ring and thwarting the attempt.

The counterweight 6 may be elongated, as in Fig. 5, to enable it to beused in connection with bottles having shoulder portions of more gradualarcs than that shown in Fig. 2.

I have found the construction above described to be practical andefficient in operation, preventing the refilling of the bottle by anyprocess, including the submersion, pressure, Beaker and vacuumprocesses; my invention prevents refilling the bottle from any position.

The closure I may be sealed to the top l3 of the bottle in any desiredor convenient manner. For example, the top 13 of the bottle may beprovided with a circumferential recess I! which may be filled with acementitious material so that when the closure l is brought down overthe top l3 of the bottle, to rest on shoulder [8, an effective,tamper-proof internal seal will be provided. The closure I may beprovided with a shouldered portion [9 and the ring 3 may be 55 providedwith a circumferential flange 20 adapted to be held between shoulderedportion l9 and the top of the bottle. The circumferential flange 20 maybe initially sealed within the casing 2 to make the closureself-contained and perfectly sealed, by cementing the circumferentialflange 20 of ring 3 to the inside of the casing as shown in the drawing,the cement being indicated by a heavy line 2|.

The foregoing disclosure is to be regarded as descriptive andillustrative only, and not as limitative or restrictive of'theinvention, of which obvito guide it in its movement and being furtherprovided with an aperture.

' 2. In a non-refillable closure for a bottle, .a hollow open floatmember adapted to have sliding movement, and spaced means forrestricting the sliding movement of said member, said member beingprovided with an aperture.

3. In anon-refillable closure for a bottle, a hollow open float memberadapted to have sliding movement, spaced means for restricting thesliding movement of said member, a valve, and a counterweight pivotallyconnected to the valve and adapted to pivot to an offset position withinthe shouldered portion of the bottle when the bottle is held in ahorizontal position, thereby closing the valve and preventing refillingof the bottle. 7

4. A non-refillable closure for bottles comprising a tubular casinghaving a contracted end provided with an opening and having an open endadapted to be sealed to the top of a bottle, a ring positioned withinthe lower portion of the casing, said ring having a tapered openingtherethrough, a valve tapered to correspond to the tapered opening ofsaid ring adapted to be guided by and close v the openingof saidring,said valve having a reduced stem normally passing through the ring, acup-shaped tubular member interposed between the ring and the contractedend of the tubular casing, the upper end of said member having acircumferential flange of slightly less diameter than the inside of thecasing and the lower end thereof being taperedto correspond to thetapered opening of the ring, to'guide said member in its movement withinthe casing, and a counterweight pivotally connected to the valve andadapted to pivot to an oflset position within the shouldered portion ofthe bottle when the bottle is held in a horizontal position, therebyfirmly drawing the valve against the opening of the ring, closing thelatter and preventing refilling of the bottle.

ELWYN T. ORCU'I'I.

